He will take up his new position as of 1 Jan 2019

SMART CEO and Director, Daniel Hastings, will be returning to a full-time position on MIT campus to head the Department of Astronautics and Aeronautics, with effect 1 Jan 2019.

The search for his replacement is ongoing.

Under Prof Hastings' leadership, SMART has grown from strength to strength as it created value for both Singapore and MIT. SMART has not only continued to deliver outstanding and impactful research, but has also seen its excellent young talent winning grants from several Singapore funding agencies.

Prof Hastings also pushed for the expansion of the SMART Innovation Centre, which has established itself as an integral part of the start-up ecosystem, with its wide offerings and deep reach; and established an especially strong strategic relationship with the Singapore ETH Centre with whom SMART has shared grants and workshops.

During his tenure since 2014, he oversaw the set up of two new Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs): Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Disruptive Technology for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP). Through his guidance, AMR and DiSTAP are poised for impact on urban farming and overcoming antimicrobial resistance.

"I wish to thank all the great staff in SMART HQ for their dedication to SMART and the professionalism with which they have focused on our mission. I also want to thank all the lead Principal Investigators who have been a source of great ideas as we discussed how to improve SMART and wrestled with a range of issues. It has been a pleasure working with all of you to build a shared community through orientations, mentoring and community events such as the now famous 4th of July SMART birthday party," said Prof Hastings.